Results 44,241-44,260 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: For example, is one parent enough? If a young woman goes to her GP it is sufficient for one parent to go along with her and orally say, "I consent to this". Is that what is required?

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: We are all agreed the issue of conscientious objection is very sensitive and held very dearly and reasonably by many medics who are opposed to termination of pregnancy. Many genuine doctors, nurses and midwives throughout the country have been in touch with the Minister, me and all of us to state they have serious concerns about aspects of conscientious objection. It is incumbent upon us to...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: Does it include pharmacists?

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister, as that is really helpful. Many pharmacists will ask if they will be in a position where a woman could comes to the pharmacy seeking an abortion pill that they could conscientiously object to providing it.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister and that is really helpful. We have discussed general practice but in the acute setting, doctors, nurses and midwives will be able to opt out and conscientiously object. It is not covered in legislation and I imagine it should not be as it is an operational matter. Will the Minister speak to the concerns that some may have about concerns relating to rostering, for...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I move amendment No. 170:In page 17, line 11, to delete “services” and substitute “and/or out-patient services as appropriate”. Bear with me for a moment.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I have not discussed it. Amendments Nos. 170 to 172, inclusive, are in my name. I will discuss them together because they are all about the same issue. One was ruled out of order but the others relate to the same issue. I will discuss the technical amendment first, which is amendment No. 170. Essentially, this section makes termination of pregnancy services free and they would be...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: That explains my confusion. I wish to be absolutely clear. Free services will apply to inpatients, outpatients and across the HSE. Is that correct?

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: Amendment No. 172 provides for a report on the implementation. If we are to make termination of pregnancy services free - I agree we should and must and I support that being provided for in this section - then we must make all maternity services free at the same time. They are to a large extent, in fairness, but it is not the case across the board. Some drugs that can cost a great deal of...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: -----and the number of terminations reduced. The relatively high cost of some contraception is acting as a financial barrier. I would really like to see, therefore, at the same time as we provide for termination of pregnancy services to be free that all maternity cover and all contraception should be free as well.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I move amendment No. 172:In page 17, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following:“(3) The Minister shall lay before the Dáil, no more than 3 months after the passing of this Act, a report on the costs and implementation plan for the Health Service Executive to make available without charge medical, surgical and midwifery services, including provision of prescribed drugs, for...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I will address the process very briefly. To the Minister's credit, he has been very open to a substantial number of amendments to various Parts of the Bill. It is to members' credit that they withdrew most amendments. I know we want this Bill passed into law as soon as possible but it must be right. Based on the three days of debate we have just completed, a great deal of work remains to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: 182. To ask the Minister for Health if the almost €50 million which was earmarked for the provision of additional hospital beds and for developments for medical card patients is to be used to deal with overspending in the health service; and the way in which the €50 million was to have been assigned in tabular form [46457/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (8 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: 183. To ask the Minister for Health if just over €200 million in health service funding for specific new initiatives for 2019 is being held back; and if so, the specific initiatives and the funding for each in tabular form [46458/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Data (7 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: 135. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons availing of private health insurance by age group (details supplied). [46058/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (7 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: 140. To ask the Minister for Health the number of additional staff, emergency ambulances, intermediate care ambulances and rapid response vehicles that are required for the National Ambulance Service to meet targets set by HIQA in its 2016 capacity review in tabular form. [46119/18]

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: This grouping of amendments makes no sense. There are amendments that propose inserting the words "other such healthcare practitioners as may be defined" after "register". I have tabled an amendment to section 25 about making pregnancy services free. It is included in this group of amendments which is off the wall. What do we do about this? We cannot discuss all of these amendments...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: They are not.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: This grouping of amendments is off the wall. Sections 2 and 25 have been put together. Technical amendments have also been put together with big amendments about making pregnancy services free. Is there a way to suspend the sitting to go into private session to discuss the matter? This grouping of amendments just does not make any sense.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: It really is.